Captain Luke jumps the last under Alain Cawley© Photo Healy Racing
Captain Luke followed up on some good recent efforts as he took the Follow Kilbeggan On Facebook Maiden Hurdle for trainer Gerry Lynch.
The 8yo son of Fantastic Guest was sent off the 5/2 favourite for the 2m 6f contest after finishing a decent fifth behind Novarov in a handicap hurdle on the Wednesday of Galway before finishing third two days later behind Muzak in another handicap hurdle at Ballybrit.
Given a confident ride by Alain Cawley he raced in mid-division early on before making steady headway after the halfway point.
He went second at the fourth last before challenging Playtime Ben under Cawley's brother Brian, three out.
He hit the front before the second last and asserted on the run to the last, keeping on well to score by four and three parts of a length. Lucky Pigeon (12/1) just got up for second by nose under Mark Enright for Joe Fogarty with Playtime Ben at 14/1 back in third for his trainer Davy Fitzgerald.
Gerry Lynch said afterwards: "He done it well. I was a bit worried after his two quick runs at Galway and how he would react to the quick ground.
"He’ll have a bit of a break now and come back when the ground gets soft.
"He was a bit unlucky in the amateur riders handicap hurdle at Galway and I let him out after that and he was in great order.
"Four miles is what he wants, you couldn’t go far enough for him. Chasing will be his game and today was a bonus."
(On-course reporting by Gary Carson)
